Shingler&#39;s hatchet.



Nb. 667,494. Patented Fob. 5,1901.

, W. J. BURNS.

SHINGLERS HATCHET.

W/ T/VESSES:

Eva-WM pm $1; %M M 1 ,m m jj llrrn STATES WILLIAM J. BURNS, OF BONANZA, ARKANSAS.

SHINGLERS HATCHET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 667,494, dated February 5, 1901.

Application filed June28, 1900. Serial No. 21,950. (No model.)

To ttZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. BURNS, a

I citizen of the United States, residing at B- nanza, in the county of Sebastian and State of Arkansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shinglers Hatchets; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in hatchets, and particularlyin hatchets for use by carpenters in placing shingles and weatherboarding, the improvements consisting particularly in a gage attachment or attachments for a carpenters hatchet, by means of which the shingles or weather boarding may be gaged uniformly and the necessity for chalking a line in order to have the row of shingles or of weather-boarding straight is obviated.

My invention will be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the same parts are indicated by the same letters of reference throughout the several views.

Figure l is a side elevation of the head of a hatchet provided with my invention. Fig. 2 is a view looking at the hatchet shown in Fig. 1 from the left in said figure. Fig. 3 is a view of the hatchet looking in the opposite direction. Fig. 4 is a View similar to Fig. 1 looking at the hatchet from the opposite side. Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 5 5 in Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line 66 in Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrow; and Fig. '7 is a view similar to Fig. 6, but showing the stem of the gage-plug as screwthreaded and engaging a screw-threaded openingin the head of the hatchet, the same being a modification of the device shown in the preceding figure.

A represents the body of the hatchet, which is of the ordinary construction used by carpenters-that is to say, having a straight front edge A and cylindrical or octagonal poll A somewhat elongated. At intervals along the forward straight edge A of the blade portion A a series of sockets a are formed, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. These sockets are preferably tapered inwardly for the reception of the tapered stem or plug B, having an enlarged head B, which serves as an adjustable gage, the said tapered plug or stem B fitting in one of the sockets d The poll A is also provided with a series of sockets a and d arranged at intervals along the said poll in lines somewhat to either side of the rear of the poll, as seen most clearl'yin Fig. 3.

A tapered plugor stem 0, having an enlargedhead 0, adapted to fit either of the sockets in the series a or a is provided. This tapered plug 0 with its enlarged head 0, serves as an adjustable gage in like manner as the plug B, hereinbefore described, and the said plug 0 may be adj usted,as stated, into one of the openings of either of the series a or M.

Fig. 7 shows a modification in which the plug D is screw-threaded and the sockets therefor d also screw-threaded, the head D thereof being, however, similar to the heads B and C of the tapered plugs hereinbefore described.

If desired, I may use the screw-threaded plug in place of the tapered plug; but this form is preferred on account of the cheapness incident to the fact that it is not necessary to cut the threads on the plugs or in the sockets.

The reason for having two sets of openings or and a is to render the hatchet convenient for use either by a right-handed or a lefthanded person. The plug adjustable into these openings is used as a gage for setting the edges of the shingles that project beyond the eaves, the top of the hatchet-poll being rested against the cornice and the shingles being set to project beyond the cornice sulficient to come in contact with the head C of the adjustable plug C In the case of a righthanded carpenter this plug would be used in one set of openings a while in the case of a left-handed carpenter the plug would be set into one of the openings of the series a.

The plug B is intended as a gage for setting the weather edge of the shingles. In doing this the head B of the plug B is set against the body of the shingle of the row last nailed and the body of the shingle to be nailed against the end of the poll A of the hatchet.

As will be seen,the adj ustability of the plugs herein described and shown permit of setting the shingles at various widths within certain limits, and the double set of openings at and a render the tool convenient for use by either right or left handed persons or persons who use both right and left hands.

The arrangement of the plugs used for gages in connection with my hatchet 'do not. interfere in any way with the use of the blade of the hatchet for cutting or the head of the hatchet for nailing, being entirely out of the way.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a carpenters tool, the combination with a hatchet having a straight forward edge and provided with a series of sockets along the blade portion of said edge, and having an elongated poll and a series of sockets along the rear of the said poll; of a plug adapted to engage in one of said sockets, and adjustable from one to another, for use as a gage, substantially as described.

2. In a carpenters tool, the combination with ahatchet having astraight forward edge and provided with a series of sockets along the blade portion of said edge, and having an elongated poll and a series of openings at either side of the middle of the poll and at the rear side thereof; of a plug, adapted to engage any one of said sockets, and adjustable from one to another, for use as a gage, substantially as described.

3. In a carpenters tool, the combination with a hatchet having a straight forward edge, and a series of tapered sockets formed in the blade portion of said edge; of a plug having a tapered point adapted to engage either of said openings for use as a gage, substantially as hereinbefore described.

4. In a carpenters tool, the combination with a hatchet having an elongated poll, said poll having two sets of tapered sockets formed equidistant from and on opposite sides of the middle line of the poll, and a plug. having a tapering point adapted to fit any one of the said sockets, and serving as a gage, substantially as hereinbefore described.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM J. BURNS.

\Vitnesses:

Gno. CLINTON, M. L. HARIAGE. 

